English as a Second Language ESL

Learn and Earn ESL and ESLN Certificates

What types of certificates are offered? 

Currently, the LMC ESL Department offers students the opportunity to work toward earning twelve certificates of two different types as shown below. 

CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY
(Non-Credit)

Entry/Bridge

  • Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development
  • Foundational Grammar for General Communication
  • Essential Pronunciation and Conversation
  • Fundamental Writing Skills

Intermediate and Advanced

  • Intermediate English for College and Career Success
  • Advanced English for Academic and Professional Advancement

COLLEGE SKILLS CERTIFICATES
(Credit)

Entry/Bridge

  • Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development
  • Foundational Grammar for General Communication
  • Essential Pronunciation and Conversation
  • Fundamental Writing Skills

Intermediate and Advanced

  • Intermediate English for College and Career Success
  • Advanced English for Academic and Professional Advancement

Earning a certificate demonstrates that a student has successfully worked to attain a particular set of foundational, intermediate, or advanced general or academic English as a Second Language competencies and outcomes.

Through program design, including the scheduling of classes and designated ESL student advising and counseling, students are guided, encouraged, and supported to create an educational plan and to enroll in certificate-seeking packages of ESL courses each semester (as opposed to solitary single classes). 

By following this guidance and implementing such plans, students will optimally position themselves to make the greatest progress in terms of the following: 1) their English language acquisition and 2) our department’s ultimate instructional goal of successfully transitioning into their chosen academic major and career.

How do I earn and obtain a certificate?

Below are the descriptions of the certificates including the number of hours (for Non-Credit ESLN courses) or the number of units (for Credit ESL courses) needed to obtain each. 

Certificate Requirements

Certificates of Competency can be earned by successfully completing the required Non-Credit ESLN courses and number of hours as shown below. 

College Skills Certificates can be earned by successfully completing the required Credit ESL courses and number of units shown below. 


General ESL for College and Career Preparation

  • Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development Certificates  
    Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development*
    Required Courses  Certificate of Competency Hours
    ESLN-065VR Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development 1 54
    ESLN-075VR Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development 2 54
      Total Hours Required  108
         
    Required Courses College Skills Certificate Units
    ESL-065VR Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development 1 3
    ESL-075VR Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development 2 3
      Total Units Required 6

    *Basic Vocabulary and Reading Development Competencies and Outcomes:

    1. Strive to gain increasing ability to understand and accurately and creatively use vocabulary learned from context and on the new general service list (NGSL) and the new academic word list (NAWL) in known and new situations.
    2. Embrace having more to learn through reading inquiringly and critically and thinking flexibly about diverse, multi-genre college-preparatory and college texts that connect you to multicultural, social, ethical, and global ideas and issues.
    3. Pay attention to recognize and self-improve pronunciation difficulties, speech challenges, writing complexities, listening obstacles, and reading issues that may impede successful engagement and interaction, finding humor and responding with wonderment and awe to support your doing so.
  • Foundational Grammar for General Communication Certificates
    Foundational Grammar for General Communication*
    Required Courses Certificate of Competency Hours
    ESLN-065G Foundational Grammar for General Communication 1 54
    ESLN-075G Foundational Grammar for General Communication 2 54
      Total Hours Required 108
         
    Required Courses College Skills Certificate Units
    ESL-065G Foundational Grammar for General Communication 1 3
    ESL-075G Foundational Grammar for General Communication 2 3
      Total Units Required 6

    *Foundational Grammar for General Communication Competencies and Outcomes:

    1. Risk responsibly and persist to accurately understand and apply grammatical structures – from basic to advanced - to negotiate meaning, ask questions, share and discuss ideas and opinions, solve problems, create plans, make decisions, present arguments, and apply past knowledge to achieve solid understanding and intended meaning.
    2. Pay attention to recognize and self-improve pronunciation difficulties, speech challenges, writing complexities, listening obstacles, and reading issues that may impede successful engagement and interaction, finding humor and responding with wonderment and awe to support your doing so.
  • Essential Pronunciation and Conversation Certificates
    Essential Pronunciation and Conversation*
    Required Courses  Certificate of Competency Hours
    ESLN-065PC Essential Pronunciation and Conversation 1 54
    ESLN-075PC Essential Pronunciation and Conversation 2 54
      Total Hours Required 108
         
    Required Courses College Skills Certificate Units
    ESL-065PC Essential Pronunciation and Conversation 1 3
    ESL-075PC Essential Pronunciation and Conversation 2 3
      Total Units Required 6

    *Essential Pronunciation and Conversation Competencies and Outcomes:

    1. Speak and listen with empathy and increasing confidence, fluency, and self-regulation, curiously exploring diverse and alternative perspectives, within a range of formal and informal social, academic, and career communication settings.
    2.  Pay attention to recognize and self-improve pronunciation difficulties, speech challenges, writing complexities, listening obstacles, and reading issues that may impede successful engagement and interaction, finding humor and responding with wonderment and awe to support your doing so. 
  • Fundamental Writing Skills Certificates
    Fundamental Writing Skills*
    Required Courses  Certificate of Competency Hours
    ESLN-065W Fundamental Writing Skills 1 54
    ESLN-075W Fundamental Writing Skills 2 54
      Total Hours Required 108
         
    Required Courses College Skills Certificate Units
    ESL-065W Fundamental Writing Skills 1 3
    ESL-075W Fundamental Writing Skills 2 3
      Total Units Required 6

    *Fundamental Writing Skills Competencies and Outcomes:

    1. Communicate clearly, effectively, and creatively in writing at the word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, and essay levels,reviewing and reflecting on your writing and learning, and collaborating with others to support your continual development.
    2. Pay attention to recognize and self-improve pronunciation difficulties, speech challenges, writing complexities, listening obstacles, and reading issues that may impede successful engagement and interaction, finding humor and responding with wonderment and awe to support your doing so.


Academic ESL for Educational and Professional Advancement

  • Intermediate English for College and Career Success Certificates
    Intermediate English for College and Career Success*
    Required Courses  College Skills Certificates Units
    ESL-085G
    or
    ESL-023
    Intermediate Grammar for College and Career Communication
    or
    Grammar for Communication III
    4
    or
    4
    ESL-085SL
    or
    ESL-033
    Intermediate Oral Communication for the College Classroom and Beyond
    or
    Intermediate Oral Skills
    3
    or
    4
    ESL-085WRV
    or
    ESL-043
    Intermediate College Writing, Reading, and Dispositional Thinking
    or
    Writing and Reading III
    5
    or
    4
      Total Units Required 11 - 12
         
    Required Courses Certificate of Competency Hours
    ESLN-085G Intermediate Grammar for College and Career Communication 72
    ESLN-085SL Intermediate Oral Communication for the College Classroom and Beyond 54
    ESLN-085WRV Intermediate College Writing, Reading, and Dispositional Thinking 90
      Total Hours Required 216

    *Intermediate English for College and Career Success Outcomes and Competencies:

    1. Embrace having more to learn through reading inquiringly and critically and thinking flexibly about diverse, multi-genre college-preparatory and college texts that connect you to multicultural, social, ethical, and global ideas and issues.
    2. Strive to gain increasing ability to understand and accurately and creatively use vocabulary learned from context and on the new general service list (NGSL) and the new academic word list (NAWL) in known and new situations.
    3. Communicate clearly, effectively, and creatively in writing at the word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, and essay levels, reviewing and reflecting on your writing and learning, and collaborating with others to support your continual development.
    4. Risk responsibly and persist to accurately understand and apply a wide variety of grammatical structures – from basic to advanced - to negotiate meaning, ask questions, share and discuss ideas and opinions, solve problems, create plans, make decisions, present arguments, and apply past knowledge to achieve solid understanding and intended meaning.
    5. Speak and listen with empathy and increasing confidence, fluency, and self-regulation, exploring diverse and alternative perspectives, within a range of formal and informal social, academic, and career communication settings.
    6. Pay attention to recognize and self-improve pronunciation difficulties, speech challenges, writing complexities, listening obstacles, and reading issues that may impede successful engagement and interaction, finding humor and seeking out and responding with wonderment and awe to support your doing so.
  • Advanced English for Academic & Professional Advancement Certificates
    Advanced English for Academic & Professional Advancement*
    Required Courses   College Skills Certificate  Units
    ESL-095G
    or
    ESL-023
    Advanced Grammar for College and Career Communication
    or
    Grammar for Communication IV
     4
    or
    4
    ESL-095SL
    or
    ESL-034
    Advanced Speech Communication for Academic and Professional Pursuits
    or
    Advanced Oral Skills
     3
    or
    3
    ESL-095WRV
    or
    ESL-044
    Advanced Academic Writing, Reading, and Dispositional Thinking
    or
    Writing and Reading IV
    5
    or
    4
       Total Units Required  11 - 12
         
    Required Courses Certificate of Competency Hours
    ESLN-095G Advanced Grammar for College and Career Communication 72
    ESLN-095SL Advanced Speech Communication for Academic and Professional Pursuits 54
    ESLN-095WRV Advanced Academic Writing, Reading, and Dispositional Thinking 90
      Total Hours Required 216

     *Advanced English for Academic & Professional Advancement Outcomes and Competencies: 

    1. Embrace having more to learn through reading inquiringly and critically and thinking flexibly about diverse, multi-genre college-preparatory and college texts that connect you to multicultural, social, ethical, and global ideas and issues.
    2. Strive to gain increasing ability to understand and accurately and creatively use vocabulary learned from context and on the new general service list (NGSL) and the new academic word list (NAWL) in known and new situations.
    3. Communicate clearly, effectively, and creatively in writing at the word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, and essay levels, reviewing and reflecting on your writing and learning, and collaborating with others to support your continual development.
    4. Risk responsibly and persist to accurately understand and apply a wide variety of grammatical structures – from basic to advanced - to negotiate meaning, ask questions, share and discuss ideas and opinions, solve problems, create plans, make decisions, present arguments, and apply past knowledge to achieve solid understanding and intended meaning.
    5. Speak and listen with empathy and increasing confidence, fluency, and self-regulation, exploring diverse and alternative perspectives, within a range of formal and informal social, academic, and career communication settings.
    6. Pay attention to recognize and self-improve pronunciation difficulties, speech challenges, writing complexities, listening obstacles, and reading issues that may impede successful engagement and interaction, finding humor and seeking out and responding with wonderment and awe to support your doing so.


Certificate Obtainment

Once a student has received a passing grade in each of the courses listed as required for a certificate, s/he should locate the appropriate application form on Admissions and Records Forms and follow the instructions on that page to fill the form out and submit it to Admissions and Records (A&R). 

Once A&R reviews the student’s records and verifies that the student has successfully passed each course, they will mail the certificate to the student’s home address, or the address the student provides on the application. The name of the two forms associated with our certificate are:

  • College Certificate of Competency Application 2019-2020
  • College Skills Certificate Application 2019-2020

If you need any help, use the contact information on the forms' page, or ask one of your professors or Ms. Eva Padilla.